SEVENTEEN are set to promote their upcoming music releases without members The8 and Jun.

Earlier today (September 1), the 13-member group’s label Pledis Entertainment announced on Twitter that the group would be moving ahead with their forthcoming Korean activities as an 11-piece act.

The agency revealed that the group’s two Chinese members, The8 and Jun, are slated to return to China, where they will stay for the remainder of the year. Pledis explained that this would allow both idol to “resume their work in China that had been postponed by COVID-19”.

The company also added that this was an opportunity for both The8 and Jun to “spend time with their families after having been forced to stay apart from them for a considerable amount of time due to the pandemic”.

Pledis Entertainment also shared that the decision for the two Chinese singers to return to China was made after discussions with the entire group, while also citing international travel restrictions. “Moving across countries and regions currently demands excessive time and effort due to the severe challenges posed by the current situation on international and regional travel as well as the requirement for self quarantine,” it said.

“Please note that during this period SEVENTEEN will engage in their promotions in Korea with 11 members,” Pledis added. “We ask for your generous understanding, and please stay tuned for the diverse activities of SEVENTEEN both in Korea and abroad during the second half of this year.”

The announcement comes shortly after the agency had confirmed that the group are set to make their return with new music this October. It’s currently unknown how the absence of Jun and The8 will affect SEVENTEEN’s forthcoming release.